All the colours of the rainbow

Did you know that there are over 6900 languages spoken on a daily basis around the world today? Among these languages however, at least 20 share an interesting feature – when it comes to describing colour, they have distinct terms only for black, white, and red! With this in mind, it is heartening to know that in Europe our choice of words for colours extends far beyond the reach of only three colours, and they are also widely used to express moods, emotions and personal characteristics. We see them in idiomatic descriptions such as blue for tranquility, pink for love, green for the natural world. Equally, these notions can often be turned on their head and we can also feel 'a bit blue', 'see red' or even be 'green with envy'! The use of colours in our European languages is very symbolic and as a result gives rise to a rich and varied list of idioms.

Your suggestions are most welcome for further developing this resource!

RED

GREEN

YELLOW

BLUE

BROWN

PURPLE

PINK

GREY

OTHERS

BLACK

WHITE

ENGLISH
black and blue - bruised and beatenblack and white - straight forward; very clearto black out - to faintblack sheep - the odd or bad member of the group or familygriin the black - successful or profitableblack market - the area where illegal things such as drugs and guns are bought and soldas black as coal - to be very blacka black tie event - a formal event or party that men are expected to wear a black suit with a tie

FRENCHavoir des idées noires - to feel very sad (lit. to have black ideas)broyer du noir - to be very pessimistic (lit. to grind some black)se mettre dans une colère noire - a big fit of anger (lit. a black fit of anger)dire blanc et noir - not to decide who to support (lit. to say white and black)dire tantôt blanc, tantôt noir - to say something and its contrary at the same time (lit. to sometimes say white and some other time say black)être dans le noir total - to not understand anything at a situation (lit. to be in pitch black)être d’humeur noire - to feel gloomy (lit. to be in a black mood)l’or noir - in reference to the oil that represents a source of wealth (lit. the black oil)noir comme du charbon - very black (lit. black as charcoal)noir sur blanc - written clearly (lit. black on white)peindre une situation en noir - to be excessively pessimistic about a situation (lit. to paint a situation in black)peste noire - the Black Plague that spread over Europe between 1347 and 1352s’enfoncer dans le noir - to feel gloomy (lit. to sink into blackness)travailler au noir - a moonlighter, to work illegally (to black work)un endroit noir de monde - a place full of people (lit. a place black with people)un petit noir - a cup of coffee (lit. a small black)rougevie mêlée de blanc et de noir - a life full of extremes (lit. a life mixed with white and black)voir tout en noir - to be very pessimistic (lit. to see everything in black)être noir - to be black (i.e. drunk) un film noir - an atmospherically suspenseful cinema (lit. a black film)noir comme un four - very dark black (lit. black as an oven) bête noire - a person’s least favorite thing/a harmful thing/anathema (lit. black beast)œil au beurre noir - bruised eye (lit. black butter eye)

POLISHczarna rozpacz - a state of great despair (lit. black despair)czarna ospa- smallpox (lit. black pox)odkładać na czarna godzinę- to save for later/for a rainy day (lit. to put away for a black hour)czarno coś widzieć- to be pessimistic (lit. to be black about something)czarny - a villain (lit. a black character)mala czarna- an espresso or a little black dress (lit. a small black)czarno coś widzieć- to be pessimistic (lit. to see something in black) czarno księżnik - a wizard (lit. a black moon person)

NORWEGIANå svartmale - to portray a situation negatively (lit. to paint black)svarte ta deg - go to hell (lit. the black take you)svarteper- refers to a card game (Blackjack). If you are left with svarteper, it means that you got the short straw.sort får (å være familiens sorte får) - describes an odd or disreputable member of a group/family (black sheep of the family)det svarte marked - black market

DUTCHzwartmaken - to defame someone (lit. to make someone black)zwartkijken- to watch TV without paying for it (lit. to watch black)op zwart zaad zitten - to be broke (lit. to sit on black seed)zwartrijden- riding on transport without paying (lit. black riding)het zag er zwart van de mensen - it looked crowded/packed with people (lit. it looked black with people)Iets zwart op wit zetten- to put something in writing (lit. to put something down black on white)liegen dat je zwart ziet- lying so much that there's no truth left in your story (lit. lying until you look black)zwarte sneeuw zien- to live in poverty (lit. to see black snow)Zwartepieten- to decide who gets the blame (lit. to black Peter)

GERMANwarten bis man schwarz wird - to wait a very long time (lit. to wait until you become black)Schwarzfahren- to not pay the fare for a ride (lit. black riding)schwarze Liste- a list of undesirable/bad people/things (lit. black list)schwarz sehen - to be pessimistic (lit. to see black)sich schwarz ärgern - to be very angry (to be angry black)etwas schwarz malen- to have a pessimistic outlook (lit. to paint something black)ins Schwarze treffen- to hit something very precisely (lit. to hit the black)schwarz wie die Nacht sein - very dark black (lit. black as night)jemandem den schwarzen Peter zuschieben- to pass an unpleasant responsibility onto someone else (lit. to pass the black Peter to someone)eine schwarze Seele haben - to be evil (lit. to have a black soul)

PORTUGUESEa coisa está preta! - the situation is hard to deal with (lit. the thing is black)

ROMANIANa fi negru de supărare- to sulk, to be visibly angry (lit. to be black with anger)scrie negru pe alb - it is clearly written, established, fixed (lit. it is written black on white)n-o fi dracul atât de negru - things are not that bad (lit. the devil's not that black)a fi negru în cerul gurii - to be cruel (lit. to have a black palate)mizerie neagră - dire poverty (lit. black misery)inimă neagră- a spade (in playing cards) (lit. a black heart)bubă-neagră - anthrax (lit. a black ulcer)a fi negru la suflet - to be evil (lit. to be black in the soul)pădure neagră - a deep, dark forest (lit. a black forest)în negru - in mourning (lit. in black)cât negru sub unghile - only a little bit, almost nothing (lit. as much as black under the fingernail)a vedea totul în negru- to be pessimistic (lit. to see everything in black)a face zile negre - to bother, irritate (lit. to make black days for someone)pâine neagră - brown bread (lit. black bread)bani negri -money gained dishonestly (black money)

SPANISHpasarlas negras - to have a tough time of it (lit. to pass the blacks)verse negro- to be in a jam (lit. to see black)pagar en negro - to pay without filing tax information with the government (lit. to pay in black)cine negro- an atmospheric, suspenseful cinema (lit. black cinema)

ENGLISHa white lie - an innocent lie to protect another person's feelingswhite feather - a display of cowardicewhite elephant - a useless possessionas white as a sheet - in a state of great feara white-collar worker - a professional or office workerwhiter than white - innocent, pure and virtuousto wave a white flag - to show that you’ve lost (a game, challenge or war) and that you give upas white as a ghost - being very pale (said of a person’s face)

FRENCHun blanc - a silence period in conversation (lit. a white)passer une nuit blanche- to have a sleepless night (lit. to spend a white night)blanc comme neige- innocent (lit. white as snow)blanc-bec- an inexperienced but pretentious person (lit. white beak)blanchissement d'argent - money laundering (lit. money whitening)faire chou blanc- to fail, despite your best efforts (lit. to make white cabbage)blanchissage - a shutout in a sports game - e.g. a hockey goalie not allowing a goal (lit. a whitening)avoir un blanc - to forget something (e.g. a name) you usually know (lit. to have a white)avoir un examen blanc - to take a practice/mock exam (lit. to have a white exam)tirer à blanc - to shoot blanks (lit. to fire with white)une oie blanche - a naive, silly girl (lit. a white goose)cousu de fil blan - obviously fake (lit. sewn with white thread)arme blanch - a weapon with a blade, such as a knife (lit. a white weapon)fixer dans le blanc des yeux - to look at someone with defiance (lit. to stare at the whites of the eyes) marquer un jour d'une pierre blanche - to designate a day as one to be remembered (lit. to mark the day with a white stone)
blanc sur rouge, rien ne bouge, rouge sur blanc, tout fout le camp - if you drink white wine after red wine you won't be sick; the other way around makes you sick white after red, nothing "moves"; (lit. red after white, everything falls apart)
un mariage blanc - a white marriage (i.e. a marriage of convenience) arme blanche - a knife or a weapon with a blade white weaponblanchir sous le harnais - to gain experience (lit. to whiten oneself under the harness)bulletin blanc - a blank ballot (lit. white bulletin)chauffé à blanc - to be very angry (lit. white heated)col blanc - a white collar, an office worker (lit. white collar)colère blanche - a big fit of anger (lit. white fit of anger)coupe à blanc - the entire felling of a forest (lit. white cut)coupe à blanc-estoc - the entire felling of a forest (lit. white thrust)coupe blanche - the entire felling of a forest (lit. white cut)de but en blanc - without any preparation (lit. from the aim to the white)de la blanche - heroine (lit. some white)dire tantôt blanc, tantôt noir - to say something and its contrary at the same time (lit. to sometimes say white and some other time say black)donner un blanc seing - to give one’s agreement without any limits (lit. to give one’s white signature)eléphant blanc - a financial abyss or an excessive project (lit. a white elephant)laisser en blanc - without anything written, to leave a blank spaceêtre blanc - to have grey hair (lit. to be white)faire chou blanc - to fail (lit. to make a white cabbage)hisser le drapeau blanc - to capitulate (lit. to hoist the white flag)histoire cousue de fil blanc - a story that is obviously a lie (lit. a story sewn with white thread)les blouses blanches - the medical staff in a hospital (lit. the white blouses)l’un dit blanc, l’autre noir - one says one thing the other says the contrary (lit. one says white the other says black)magie blanche - a kind of magic that is good (lit. white magic)manger son pain blanc en premier - to start with the easiest thing to do (lit. to eat oneself’s white bread first)noir sur blanc - stated clearly (lit. black on white)or blanc - in reference to the snow that represents a source of wealth (lit. the white gold)passer du blanc au noir - to change one’s mind (lit. to go from white to black)peur blanche - a big fright (lit. a white scare)russe blanc - a pro- czar Russian (lit. a white Russian)saigner à blanc - to exploit something until there’s nothing left (lit. to bleed white)un p’tit blanc - a glass of gin or a glass of white wine (lit. a small white)voix blanche - a toneless voice (lit. a white voice)vote blanc - an abstention vote (lit. a white vote)fixer quelqu’un dans le blanc des yeux - to stare at someone with intensity (lit. to stare into someone’s white part of the eye)

SPANISHpasar una noche en blanco - to have a sleepless night (lit. to spend a night in white)decir que lo blanco es negro - to speak something untrue (lit. to say that white is black)poner los ojos en blanco - to roll your eyes in disbelief/disapproval (lit. to put the eyes in white)poner la mente en blanco - to clear your mind of thoughts (lit. to put your mind in white)blanquear dinero - to launder money (lit. to whiten money)mas blanco que la leche - very white (lit. whiter than milk)quedarse en blanco - to forget something you should remember (lit. to stay in white)votar en blanco - to return a blank ballot (lit. to vote in white)tirar al blanco - to shoot at the target (lit. to shoot at the white)estar sin blanca - to be broke (lit. to be without white)tener carta blanca - to have full authorisation or permission (lit. to have white card)cachetada con guante blanco - responding to aggression in an elegant and non-violent manner (lit. a slap in the face with a white glove)un mirlo blanco - a rare thing (lit. a white blackbird)trata de blancas - human trafficking (lit. the trade of whites)no distinguir lo blanco de lo negro - to not understand right from wrong (lit. to not distinguish white from black)

ITALIANpesce/carne in bianco - plain fish/meat (lit. fish/meat in white)
mangiare in bianco - to eat without condiments (lit. to eat in white)
vedere bianco per nero - to be deceived (lit. to see white for black)passare una notte in bianco - to have a sleepless night (lit. to pass a night in white) avere carta bianca - to have full authorisation to do what you want (lit. to have white card)
settimana bianca - a skiing vacation (lit. a white week)
morti bianche - people who die while they are working (lit. white deaths)mosca bianca - a rare / unusual thing which stands out (lit. a white fly)
piu bianconon si può - [from a popular tv ad] couldn't be more clean (lit. more white you cannot)
bianco come la neve - snow-white (lit. white as snow)rendere l'occasione bianca- to spoil it (lit. to make the occasion white)
bianco come un panno lavato - to be as white as a sheet (very pale, usually because of illness, shock, or fear) (lit. white as washed cloth)pretendere bianco per nero - to mislead (lit. to claim white for black)
di punto in bianco - suddenly, unexpectedly (lit. from a point in white)
un coro di voci bianche - a children's chorus (lit. a chorus of white voices)matrimonio in bianco - an unconsumated marriage (lit. a white marriage)
andare in bianco - to go into the white (i.e. to have no success with someone romantically)essere bianco dalla paura - be very scared (lit. be white for fear)fare un assegno in bianco - dare un assegno senza scrivere la cifra (lit. make a blank check)mettere nero su bianco - to write down (lit. to put black on white)

PORTUGUESEdeu um branco - I can't remember (lit. white happened)passar em brancas nuvens - to go by unnoticed (lit. to pass by in white clouds)passar a noite em branco - to have a sleepless night (lit. to pass a night in white)passar em branco - to go through a special day with commemorating it (lit. to pass in white)branquear dinheiro - to launder money (lit. to whiten money)

LITHUANIANbaltas pavydas - to be extremely jealous of something in a good way (lit. a white jealousy)baltas it popierius - to be extremely pale (lit.white as a paper sheet)balta varna - a person who is different from the crowd (lit. a white crow)

GERMAN eine weiße Weste haben - to be innocent (lit. to have a white vest)weiße Mäuse sehen - to see things that are not there (lit. to see white mice) Hier steht es schwarz auf weiss - it's in writing, it's official (lit. it's here in black and white) Halbgötter in Weiß - physicians (lit. demigods in white)

DUTCH een wit voetje halen - to make a good impression (via flattery) (lit. to get a white foot) wit rond de neus worden - getting scared (lit. getting white around the nose) wit om de neus zien - looking nauseous (lit. looking white around the nose) zie ik zo wit? - do you think I'm crazy? (lit. do I look that white?) geld witwassen - to launder money (lit. to whitewash money) witte rook zien - the decision is made (lit. to see white smoke) de prins op het witte paard - the man of your dreams (lit. the prince on the white horse) witte werkster - a household help whose income is reported for taxes (lit. a white worker (female)

DANISH hvid som et lagen - very pale (lit. white as a sheet)

NORWEGIANå stirre døden i hvitøyet- to face your fear, achieve the seemingly impossible (lit. to stare death in the white of the eye)hvitevarer - kitchen appliances such as fridge, stove and also washingmachines, tumbler dryerhvit løgn - a small or harmless lie in order to be polite or avoid hurting someones feelings

ENGLISHbeet red - dark red (usually describing the face)to catch red-handed - to catch someone in the act of doing something wrong or illegaltp be shown the red card - to be dismissed from one’s jobin the red - in debtto see red - to be very angryred tape - official or bureaucratic tasksredneck - an ignorant, insensitive typered eye - an airplane flight that takes off after midnightto roll out the red carpet - to greet a person with great respect, give a big welcome; to treat someone like royalty red herring - a clue or piece of information which is or is intended to be misleading or distractingred rag to a bull - a deliberate provocation that is certain to bring about an adverse reactionto see the red light - to recognize approaching dangerred hot - in high demand, something that everybody wantsred flag -a sign that something that is not right; a warning signto paint the town red- to go out and have a good time partying

ITALIANdiventare rosso in viso - to become embarrassed (lit. to turn red in the face)al calor rosso - so hot that it turns red (lit. to the red heat)rosso come un peperone - blushing (lit. red like a pepper)bandiera rossa - a warning signal, a sign that something’s wrong (lit. a red flag) linea rossa - a hotline (lit. a red line)una toga rossa - a magistrate accused of being left-wing biased by a conservative (lit. a red toga)stendere il tappeto rosso - to give a big welcome to roll out the red carpetuna pellicola rossa - an adult erotic film (lit. a red movie)camicie rosse - the name given to the volunteers who followed Giuseppe Garibaldi in southern Italy durino the Italian Unification (lit- red shirts)allarme rosso - a serious warning of danger (lit. a red alert)dare il disco rosso - give it to something (lit. Give the red disk)rosso d'uovo - egg yolk (lit. red of the egg)

WELSHffilm coch - a film with erotic content (lit. a red film)

ESTONIANpuust ja punaseks tegema - to make something really clear (lit. to make something out of wood and paint it red)

FRENCHagiter le chiffon rouge - to start a conversation about a tricky subject (lit. to wave the red tea towel)alerte rouge - readiness for emergency (lit. red alert)du gros rouge - some bad quality red wine (lit. some big red)être dans le rouge - an overdraft (lit. to be in the red)être la lanterne rouge - to be the last one (lit. to be the red lantern)être rouge de colère - to be very angry (lit. to be red with anger)être sur liste rouge - a phone number that can’t be found on the directory (lit. to be on the red list)fil rouge - a common theme (lit. red yarn)la planète rouge - planet Mars (lit. the red planet)le téléphone rouge - the telephone line between two heads of state (lit. the red telephone)manger du pain rouge - to live off of murders (lit. to eat some red bread)passer au rouge - to jump the lights (lit. to go on red)rouge de confusion - to be embarrassed (lit. red with confusion)se fâcher tout rouge - to get really crossed with somebody (lit. to get angry all red)sortir du rouge - to recover from an overdraft (lit. to get out of the red)tirer à boulets rouges - to assail (lit. to shoot red cannonball)un rouge - a communist (lit. a red)voir rouge - to have an angry outburst (lit. to see red)le rouquin - red wine with a lot of body (lit. red-haired one)être rouge comme une tomate - blushing from embarrassment (lit. to be as red as a tomato)

SPANISHestar al rojo vivo - to be at fever pitch (lit. to be at vivid red)mas rojo que un pimiento - very red (lit. redder than a red pepper)mas vale una vez colorado que cien amarillo - it’s best to get angry once and strongly (lit. it’s worth more once red than one hundred times yellow)y colorín colorado, este cuento se ha acabado - and that's the end of the story (i.e. they lived happily ever after) (lit. and bright red, this story has ended)más listo que los ratones colorados - very cunning (lit. more clever than red mice)

SCOTTISH GAELICdearg - to make an impression, to plough (lit. to redden)cha d'fhuair sinn deargadh -we didn't even get one (e.g. a fish) (lit. we did not get a reddening) deargan-doirionn - a nebula (lit. a red stain)cha dearg mi air - I cannot manage it (lit. I cannot make it red)dearg-amadan - a complete fool (lit. a red fool)dearg-namhaid - a sworn enemy (lit. a red enemy)dearg—mheirleach - a notorious thief (lit. a red thief)

NORWEGIANrosenrødt - picture perfect (lit. rose red)rødøyd - crying and upset (lit. red-eyed)rødglødende - extremely passionate (lit. glowing in red). Also describes a level of activity. If your phone is glowing red, it means that it’s ringing a lot.rød tråd (historien må ha en rød tråd) - to see something as a whole, the story is bound together by something

ENGLISHto be green - to be inexperiencedthe green light - permissionto be green with envy - to be very jealousto have a green thumb - to be skillful in the gardengreen belt - an area of fields and trees around a towngreen room - the common waiting room back stage for performersthe grass is always greener on the other side of the fence - things are always better in another place; everything is better than a person’s current situation

ITALIANessere al verde - to have no money (lit. to be at the green)verde di bile - to get angry (lit. green as bile)verde dalla rabbia - very angry (lit. green from rage)il tavolo verde - the gaming table in a casino the green tableun numeroverde - a call-free number (lit. a green phone number)gli anni verdi - the best of times (lit. the green years)verde età - youth (lit. green age)essere verde dall’invidia - to be very envious ( lit. to be green for envy)avere il pollice verde - be good at cultivating plants and flowers ( lit. have the green thumb)dare il disco verde - give way to something (lit. give the green disk)

FRENCHun vert - an ecologist (lit. a green)un vieillard encore vert - an old man who is still lively (lit. an old man still green)une verte réprimande - a reprimandune volée de bois vert - a violent thrashing (lit. a thrashing of green wood)avoir le nombril vert - to be young and immature (lit. to have a green navel)avoir le pouce vert (or "avoir la main verte") - to be gifted taking care of plants t(lit. o have a green thumb (to have a green hand))en voir des vertes et des pas mûres - this is a hard one to digest (lit. to see some green and some not ripe)donner le feu vert - to give one’s authorisation (lit. to give a green light)envoyer quelqu’un au diable vert - to get rid of someone by sending them far away (lit. to send someone to the green devil)être vert de jalousie - to be very jealous (lit. to be green with jealousy)être vert de peur - to be very scared (lit. to be green with scare)être vert de rage - to be very angry (lit. to be green with rage)le billet vert - the dollar banknote (lit. the green banknote)petits hommes verts - aliens (lit. the little green men)prendre quelqu’un sans vert - to take somebody off-guard (lit. to take someone without green)se mettre au vert - to go and rest in the countryside (lit. to get into green)son vert - sound with a high-pitched tone (lit. his/hers green)langue verte - slang (lit. green language)c'est la fin des haricots verts - it's all over (lit. it’s the last of the green beans) chou vert et vert chou - six of one, a half-dozen of the other (ie it's exactly the same thing) (lit. cabbage green and green cabbage) la fée verte - absinthe (lit. the green fairy) les bas verts - prostitutes (lit. green stockings)

GERMANsich grün und blau ärgern - to be really mad (lit. to become green and blue from anger)jemanden grün und blau schlagen - to beat someone up violently (lit. to beat someone green and blue)ach du grüne Neune! - Oh my God! (for surprise/fear/wonder) (lit. Oh, you green nine!)die grüne Fee - absinth (lit. the green fairy)noch grün hinter den Ohren sein - to be inexperienced (lit. to still be green behind the ears)das Gleiche in grün - the same thing with a different appearance (lit. the same in green)Er ist mir nicht grün - he seems strange, I don't like him (lit. he's not green to me)Er wird nie auf einen grünen Zweig kommen - he'll never get anywhere (lit. he'll never get onto a green twig)ins Grüne fahren - to take a ride into the countryside (lit. to ride into the green)Grün vor Stolz - very proud (used only in old fairy tales) (lit. green with pride)Grün vor Neid - very envious (lit. green with envy)

DUTCHzich groen en geel ergeren - to be very irritated (lit. to be irritated green and yellow)groen van jaloezie zien - to be very jealous (lit. to see green from jealousy)zo groen als gras zijn - naive, oblivious or never having been kissed (lit. as green as grass)groen achter de oren - young and inexperienced (lit. green behind the ears)

POLISHnie mieć zielonego pojęcia - to have no knowledge at all about something (lit. to not have a green idea)Zielone Świątki - Pentecost (lit. Green Festival)posłać na zieloną trawkę - to fire from work (lit. to send onto green grass)być zielonym z zazdrości - to be very envious (lit. to be green from envy)

CZECHŠedá je teorie a zelený je strom života - Grey is the theory, and green is the tree of life (adapted quotation by J.W Goethe: “All theory is grey, my friend. But forever green is the tree of life.”)

NORWEGIANgrønnskolling - a completely inexperienced person (lit. a greenhead)grønne lunger - a park in an urban area (lit. green lungs)vaske munnen med grønnsåpe - if you curse a lot as a child you might hear the threat of being washed with soap. (lit. to wash your mouth with green soap)sitte på den grønne gren - be successful, have it made, do well for oneselfgrønn av misunnelse - green with envygrønne fingre - to have a green thumb

TURKISHyeşillenmek - to get fresh or to molest (lit. to turn green)

FINNISHolla kateudesta vihreä - to be very jealous (lit. to be green with jealousy)

FRENCHêtre jaune de jalousie - to be extremely jealous (lit. to be yellow with jealousy)être jaune - a fearful sportsman/woman (lit. to be yellow)être peint en jaune - to be cheated on by their wife (lit. to be painted in yellow)fièvre jaune - yellow fever (lit. yellow fever)franchir la ligne jaune - to go too far (lit. to cross the yellow line)rire jaune - a sour laughter (lit. yellow laugh)un jaune - a strikebreaker (lit. a yellow)un petit jaune - a pastis with some water (lit. a small yellow)jaune d'envie - yellow (i.e. green) with envyvoir jaune - to be pessimistic (lit. to see yellow)

ROMANIANa se îngălbeni de frică - to become visibly afraid (lit. to become yellow with fear)a flutura steguleţe galbene - to blather (lit. to stream little yellow flags)galben ca turta de ceară - very pale (lit. as yellow as wax cake)a râde/surâde galben -to laugh or smile in a forced, insincere way (lit. to laugh or smile yellow)

GERMAN gelb vor Eifersucht werden - to become yellow with jealousy Gelb vor Neid - envious (lit. yellow with envy)das Gelbe vom Ei - a good thing (lit. the yellow of the egg)

LITHUANIANgeltonas liežuvis - to be sick (lit. a yellow tongue)

SWEDISHgul och blå - yellow and blue (lit. black and blue)

POLISHżółtodziób - an inexperienced person, a rookie (lit. a yellow beak)mieć żółte papiery - to be insane (lit. to have yellow papers)

ENGLISHblue pencil - to censorblue-eyed boy - a boy who has been singled out for special favours by someone in authoritybolt from the blue - to make a huge but vain effort to win a person's agreementto have the blues - to be sad or depressedthe boys in blue - the policeonce in a blue moon - very rarelyblue in the face - to make a huge but vain effort to win a person's agreementout of the blue - unexpectedlyblue-blooded - a person of noble birthblue chip - a company or share that has with a national reputation for quality, reliability and the ability to operate profitably in good times and badblue stocking - an intellectual or literary woman

FRENCHune peur bleue - scared to death (lit. to have a blue fright)avoir le sang bleu - to belong to the aristocracy (lit. to have blue blood)avoir les bleus - to be sad, gloomy (lit. to have the blues)avoir un bleu - to have a bruise (lit. to have a blue) casque bleu - a soldier (lit. a blue helmet)col bleu - a worker (lit. a blue collar)colère bleue - an angry outburst (lit. a blue fit of anger)conte bleu - a lie (lit. a blue tale)cordon bleu - a very good cook (lit. a blue escalope)détenir le ruban bleu - to be in the first place (lit. to own the blue ribbon)donner son bleu à quelqu’un - to fire someone (lit. to give one’s blue to someone else)en être tout bleu ou en rester bleu - to be dumbfounded (lit. to be all blue or to be blue from it)être blanc-bleu - to have an untouched reputation (lit. to be white-blue)être bleu de quelqu’un (expression belge) - to be crazy in love (lit. to be blue of somebody)chocolat bleu pâle (expression belge) - to be in a bad shape, to feel sick (lit. white-blue chocolate)être dans le bleu - to be uncertain (lit. to be in the blue)être fleur bleue - to be romatic; to be naïve (lit. to be a blue flower) faire le bleu - to skip class (lit. to do the blue)la grande bleue - the mediterranean sea (lit. the big blue)la planète bleue - planet earth (lit. the blue planet)l’heure bleue - the moment before dawn (lit. the blue hour)l’or bleu - in reference to the sea that represents a source of wealth (lit. the blue gold)menton bleu - a shaved chin showing that the beard must be very black (lit. blue chin)papier bleu - a bailif act (lit. blue paper)passer au bleu - to forget intentionnaly (lit. to move on to the blue)steak bleu - a grilled steak that is raw inside (lit. blue steak)un bas-bleu - a ridiculous scholar woman (lit. blue stockings)un bleu - blue overalls; an inexperienced person, a rookie (lit. a blue) un petit bleu - telegram (lit. a small blue)en être bleu - to be in the blue (i.e. struck dumb)sacré bleu - an expression of emotion, like "my God! (lit. sacred blue!) ne voir qu'en bleu - to be in the dark, uninformed (lit. to see nothing but blue) fureur bleue - extreme anger (lit. blue fury)

GERMANdas Blaue vom Himmel herunter lügen - to lie constantly (lit. to lie the blue out of the sky)sich grün und blau ärgern - to be very angry (lit. to anger oneself green and blue) blau machen - to take time off (lit. to make blue)mit einem blauen Auge davonkommen - to get off unscathed (lit. to get away with a blue eye)die blaue Stunde - the time before dusk especially during winter (lit. the blue hour) blau sein - to be drunk or stoned (lit. to be blue / he is blue)ein blaues Wunder erleben - to get a real shock/ nasty surprise (lit. to experience a blue wonder)blauäugig sein - to be naïve, gullible (lit. to be blue-eyed)ein blaues Auge haben - to have a bruised eye (lit. to have a blue eye)einen blauen Fleck haben - to have a bruise (lit. to have a blue bruise)jemandem das Blaue vom Himmel versprechen - to make big promises (lit. to promise the blue out of the sky)blaue Bohnen - bullets (lit. blue beans)auf blauen Dunst hin - without exact knowledge (i.e. in a future undertaking) (lit. in a blue haze)jemandem blauen Dunst vormachen - to mislead/deceive someone (lit. to show someone blue haze)ins Blaue fahren - to drive without having a specific destination (lit. to drive into the blue)ins Blaue hinein - to make a complete guess (lit. to fall into the blue)

DUTCHeen blauwtje lopen - to be turned down/rejected when asking for a date (lit. to walk a blue)een blauwe maandag - a short period of time (lit. a blue Monday)zich blauw betalen - to pay a lot of money (lit. to pay yourself blue)blaubekken - to feel extremely cold (lit. to get a blue mouth)Iemand bont en blauw slaan - to bruise someone by beating them (lit. to beat someone bright and blue)Iets blauw-blauw laten - to leave something as it is (lit. to leave something blue-blue)

CZECHmodré pondělí - blue Monday (i.e. a Monday taken as holiday after the weekend) dát/snést někomu modré z nebe - to give/bring someone everything they could want (lit. to give/bring someone the blue from the sky)je to to samé v bledě modrém - to be essentially the same thing (lit. to be the same in light blue)

FINNISH sinisilmäinen - naïve (lit. blue-eyed)

WELSHyng nglas y dydd - the early morning (lit. in the blue of the day)
gorau glas - to do one’s best(lit. ‘blue best’)glas wen - a smile that is insincere and mocking ( lit. a blue smile)ei orau glas - as busy as he can be (lit. his blue best)

DANISHat være blåøjet - to be naïve (lit. to be blue-eyed)blå bog - a social register or a school yearbook (lit. a blue book)blå mandag - an unauthorized day off from work or a celebratory day after church confirmation (lit. a blue Monday)blåstemple - to designate as acceptable or high-quality (lit. to stamp with blue ink)

SPANISH un principe azul - Prince Charming (lit. a blue prince)

PORTUGUESEestá tudo azul - everything is good with me (lit. everything is blue)

FRENCHvoir des éléphants roses - to be high, to hallucinate (lit. to see pink elephants)ce n’est pas tout rose - all is not as nice as it seems (lit. it’s not all in pink)téléphone rose - the eroctic telephone line (lit. the pink telephone)voir tout en rose - to be optimistic (lit. to see everything in pink)

CZECHvyspat se do růžova - to sleep oneself into the pink (i.e. have had a good night’s sleep) nosit růžové brýle - to think that things are more pleasant than they really are (i.e. look at things with rose-coloured glasses)

ROMANIANa se face roşu de mânie - to become furious (lit. to turn pink with rage)a vedea viața în roz - to see the life in pink/rose colours ( i.e to be optimistic)

TURKISH pembe yalan - a white lie, a "good" lie (lit. a pink lie)

ENGLISHgrey area - something without a clear rule or answer

FRENCH être gris - to be drunk (lit. to be grey)avaleur de pois gris - to be greedy, voracious (lit. someone who swallows grey peas)bois gris - fuelwooddu gris - some ordinary tobacco (lit. some grey)eminence grise - the occult advisor of a man in power (lit. grey eminence)en voir de grises - to have great difficulties facing something (lit. to see some grey ones)faire grise mine à quelqu’un - to treat someone with cold indifference (lit. to pull a grey face at somebody)il fait gris - when the weather is cold and grey (lit. the weather’s grey)matière grise - the brain (lit. grey matter)or gris - white gold (lit. grey gold)un petit gris - a kind of fungus or a kind of snail (lit. a small grey)vie grise - a monotonous life (lit. a grey life)

CZECHŠedá je teorie a zelený je strom života - Grey is the theory, and green is the tree of life (adapted quotation by J.W Goethe: “All theory is grey, my friend. But forever green is the tree of life.”)

ENGLISH born with a silver spoon in one's mouth - to be born into a rich familysilver screen - the cinemaa golden opportunity - the perfect chancea golden handshake - a large sum of money paid on leaving a joba golden boy - a young man idolised for a great skill, usually in sportwith flying colours - with distinctionin the dark - unawareone’s true colours - one’s real self

SPANISH verlo a traves de un cristal de colores - to be optimistic (lit. to see it through a coloured glass)de noche, todos los gatos son pardos - no one will notice what you do (lit. in the dark at night, all cats are dark-coloured)

PORTUGUESEfiquei bege! - I'm astonished (lit. I'm beige!)amizade colorida - a friendship which includes sex without commitment (lit. a coloured friendship)é cor de burro quando foge - a colour which is hard to describe (lit. it's the colour of a donkey on the run)

GERMAN einen Silberblick haben - to be squint-eyed (lit. to have a silver gaze)sich eine goldene Nase verdienen - to make a fortune (lit. to earn yourself a golden nose)bekannt wie ein kunterbunter Hund - well-known (lit. known like a colourful dog)

ROMANIANde nicio culoare - not at all, by no means (lit. of no colour)a prinde culoare - to blush or to look healthy (lit. to gain colour)culoarea vântului turbat - an indescribable colour (lit. the colour of the mad wind)

SERBO-CROATIANgledati kao tele u šarena vrata - to stare at something with surprise/wonder (lit. to stare like a calf at a colourful door)

SLOVAKsi zlatý - you're sweet, endearing(lit. you're golden)nevidím to ružovo - I'm not optimistic about it (lit. I don't see it rosy)